Researchers at Imperial College London (officially The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) have identified a protein that acts as a “master switch” for certain white blood cells to govern whether they increase or impede inflammation. The results of this study could lead to the development of new treatments for inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Immune system cells called macrophages can either arouse or repress inflammation buy releasing chemical signals which change the behavior of other cells.
In the research a protein called IRF5 was identified that acts as switch that controls whether the macrophages will promote or inhibit inflammation.
The researchers said the results of the study suggest that blocking the production of IRF5 in macrophages may be an effective way of treating a large number of autoimmune diseases, including RA, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis.
According to senior researcher Irina Udalova, from the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Imperial College London, “Our results show that IRF5 is the master switch in a key set of immune cells, which determines the profile of genes that get turned on in those cells. This is really exciting because it means that if we can design molecules that interfere with IRF5 function, it could give us new anti-inflammatory treatments for a wide variety of conditions.”
“Diseases can affect which genes are switched on and off in particular types of cells. Understanding how this switching is regulated is crucial for designing targeted strategies to suppress unwanted cell responses.”
They also suggest that boosting IRF5 levels might help treat people whose immune systems are weak, compromised or damaged.
Udalova’s team is now studying how IRF5 works at a molecular level and which other proteins it interacts with so that they can design ways to block its effects.
The findings were reported in the January 16, 2011 online edition of the journal Nature Immunology. (ANI)
We reported previously about research from Imperial College London on a New Trigger for Chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation.
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